3D printing is becoming increasingly popular in the jewelry field. Technology has created a variety of possibilities and increased accessibility to one-of-a-kind jewelry creations, allowing designers to be more flexible and creative. Many jewelry designers are using 3D printing because it’s fast and can produce numerous design iterations in one day. Reduced lead times make 3D printing a popular jewelry-making technology, as it provides a competitive market advantage. Here are some great tips for designing 3D-printed jewelry!
Send Your designs to a 3D Printing Service
You might not have the funds for your own 3D printer or casting equipment if you’re a startup or aspiring entrepreneur. But that doesn’t rule out 3D jewelry printing. Using a 3D printing service is a fantastic choice. These services frequently provide real-time quotes from a wide range of printing methods, allowing you to get your custom design in your hands much sooner than you might imagine.
Investment Casting
The most popular method of 3D printing jewelry is investment casting. This process uses a combination of 3D printing and traditional mold-making techniques. A castable model must first be 3D printed in resin. Stereolithography (SLA) or digital light processing (DLP) are used to accomplish this. The mold is then made by covering the 3D-printed model in gypsum. The resin is then drained and liquid metal is pumped in once the gypsum has set. Following that, a standard metal casting method is used. The item is carefully retrieved, mechanically handled, and polished after the metal has been set and the mold has been removed.
Direct 3D Printing
Direct 3D printing is exactly what it sounds like: the completed piece of jewelry is 3D printed entirely out of metal. Because it is substantially more expensive than investment casting, 3D printing is a far less prevalent procedure. It does, however, provide you with a broader choice of options that casting does not. Direct 3D printing, also known as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) or selective laser melting (SLM), entails sintering metal powder particles together with a laser utilizing powder bed fusion processes. Although the type of metal accessible depends on the 3D printer, there is still a vast choice of metals to choose from.
We hope you have enjoyed our tips for designing 3D-printed jewelry! While this is an involved process, it can truly lead to some beautiful pieces of jewelry that would otherwise be impossible to make!